Cravaack's 3 potential DFL challengers exhaust funds fast

The race to become the DFL challenger who will try to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack this fall is proving to be costly for the parties involved. Campaign finance reports show Sen. Tarryl Clark has already spent more than three times the total she raised in the first 25 days in July, and Congressman Rick Nolan and former Duluth City Council Member Jeff Anderson have also spent more cash than they've taken in.

The race to become the DFL challenger who will try to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack this fall is proving to be costly for the parties involved. Campaign finance reports show Sen. Tarryl Clark has already spent more than three times the total she raised in the first 25 days in July, and Congressman Rick Nolan and former Duluth City Council Member Jeff Anderson have also spent more cash than they've taken in.

Nolan, who served in Congress during the 1970's, hopes to challenge freshman Republican Chip Cravaack. On caucus night he bested fellow Democrats Jeff Anderson and Tarryl Clark. But the trio may be headed to a primary election.

Former 8th District Congressman Jim Oberstar formally endorsed Rick Nolan Monday to unseat first-term GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack this fall. Nolan, the DFL-endorsed candidate, faces a primary in August against former state Sen. Tarryl Clark and former Duluth City Council President Jeff Anderson.

Democrat Tarryl Clark is one of three DFL candidates looking to unseat GOP Congressman Chip Cravaack in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District this fall. Former President Clinton wrote in a statement, "Tarryl's focus for almost 25 years has been improving Minnesota. I am confident she will bring the common sense solutions we need to Washington." Clark faces former Rep. Rick Nolan and former Duluth City Councilor Jeff Anderson in the Aug. 14 primary. Nolan is the DFL endorsed candidate.

Clark is one of three Democrats seeking the nomination to unseat the first-term Republican Congressman. Her campaign now has nearly $420,000. Meanwhile, incumbent Republican Rep. John Kline has more than $1 million for his re-election bid while Democrat Rep. Collin Peterson has more than $750,000 on hand. Candidates who have not yet filed their fundraising reports for the first quarter have until Sunday.

The three DFL candidates running for Minnesota's 8th Congressional District debated in Duluth Tuesday often found themselves agreeing on the same policy issues, so they tried to differentiate themselves based on style and experience instead. Tarryl Clark, Rick Nolan and Jeff Anderson will find out next Tuesday who the voters want to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack.

Minnesota District 8 DFL primary candidate Jeff Anderson has issued an interesting challenge to his opponents Rick Nolan and Tarryl Clark: he asked them to go to the political comedy "The Campaign" with him Friday night in Duluth. In the film, Will Ferrell stars as a clueless incumbent who faces a clueless challenger (Zach Galifianakis) for a congressional seat.

Freshman Minnesota Republican Chip Cravaack released his campaign finance report Friday, which revealed that he has $898,681 in cash on hand for his re-election bid for the traditionally DFL-leaning congressional district in northern Minnesota. The figure is more than triple the amount Former Sen. Tarryl Clark has, who is expected to be the top fundraiser among three DFLers competing in an Aug. 14 primary.

Former Sen. Al Franken staffer Daniel Fanning received eight votes, while former state Sen. Tarryl Clark and Duluth City Councilmember Jeff Anderson received one each. The four Democrats are running to take on freshman Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack.